


And All for Some Bloody Potatoes

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-14
Updated: 2010-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-16 07:45:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8093836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Something happens during an away mission that brings Malcolm back in the past





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** Written for Drown Malcolm Month

â€œA penny for your thoughts?â€

Malcolm had perceived Tripâ€™s approach even before he had spoken, but didnâ€™t turn to acknowledge his friend. Gaze on the waves sloshing rhythmically onto the shore a couple of metres away, he curved his mouth into a tentative smile. 

â€œAs an Englishman I can assure you, Commander, that pennies havenâ€™t been legal tender for decades. Besides, I seriously doubt you possess such an obsolete item of currency,â€ he bantered, wondering if his efforts to redirect Tripâ€™s curiosity would succeed.

They didnâ€™t. The man plonked himself down beside him, and Malcolm knew what that meant. Maybe his spikier-than-usual accent had given him away. What was sure, was that despite the turbulent evening Trip was his usual laid-back self. The two of them couldnâ€™t be more different The hell if he â€“ Malcolm â€“ would have approached, let alone forced his company on, someone who was quite obviously brooding. But if truth be told the notion stung somewhat, for it carried with it a bitter taste of social awkwardness.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Trip studying him.

â€œExtra power to your Armoury, then?â€ the Engineer playfully insisted.

Malcolm cast him a brief side glance. â€œThatâ€™s bribery.â€ 

Chuckling, Trip stretched out on the sand and leaned back on his elbows, and for a while he seemed to accept Malcolmâ€™s stalling tactics.

There was a strange light now, an alien sort of twilight. It was a relaxing hue of green. Legs crossed, arms dangling loosely from his knees, Malcolm grabbed a handful of sand. It was already cooler to the touch, now that the sun was setting. He tightened the grip and felt the tiny grains slip through his fingers, escaping the constraint of his hand as that memory today had escaped the constraint of his subconscious. Like to a magnet, his gaze returned to the waves. The bloody waves, the blasted waves. They looked so innocent when, like now, they calmly lapped at the waterâ€™s edge... 

Be careful, and donâ€™t stray. Watch Maddie, Malcolm, donâ€™t let her near the water till I return. I wonâ€™t be half an hour. Iâ€™ll just... 

â€œNice evening,â€ Trip drawled, cutting through Malcolmâ€™s reverie.

So much the better. He couldnâ€™t remember what their mother had gone home for, anyway. Something important she had forgotten. For the rest, though, that day always felt like yesterday, so clearly did it stand out in his mind every time he thought of it. 

â€œNice, yeah.â€

â€œArenâ€™t you cold?â€

â€œNo.â€ 

He was being less than good company. Part of Malcolm didnâ€™t care; but another part felt bad about it. The latter won. â€œItâ€™s almost dry,â€ he said with a shrug, feeling the top of his uniform, which he had pulled down to his waist. His black shirt lay stretched out on the beach, along with his undershirt. He had taken off his boots and socks too. The feeling of bare feet on sand was disquieting, for it threatened to bring him back in time again and again.

Malcolm raked a hand through his damp hair and finally turned to give Trip a decent look. A Lieutenant Reed look. â€œWhatâ€™s our status?â€

â€œI managed to get away, but the Captâ€™n and Tâ€™Pol are still with the Governor.â€ Trip jerked his head backwards, in the vague direction of the Government building, at the back of the square just behind the beach. â€œAnd theyâ€™re quite safe,â€ he added meaningfully. â€œThe Captâ€™n said you can return to the ship if---â€

â€œItâ€™s not necessary. Iâ€™ll wait.â€

Silence fell. Ghosts reappeared. 

Whatcha doing?

Building a fortress.

Iâ€™m gonna look for round pebbles.

Oh, come on, thatâ€™s so bloody girlish!

Malcolm! Thatâ€™s a bad word. Iâ€™ll tell mum.

Trip stirred. Malcolm was grateful for the distraction â€“ till the man opened his mouth. 

â€œWhat happened before...â€ Trip hesitated, suddenly serious, as he pulled himself back up to sitting. â€œIâ€™ve never seen you like that, that look in your eyes,â€ he concluded.

Except that it was no conclusion; more like a nudge to make him speak. Malcolm tightened his lips in an unconscious reaction. He could feel his friendâ€™s eyes on him.

â€œWell, now you have,â€ he huffed out.

He didnâ€™t expect Trip to understand. He didnâ€™t want him to understand, even. Past and present had suddenly merged, and he had acted on impulse. The rest... He felt a blush rise, which the dim light hopefully would cover.

â€œDonâ€™t get me wrong,â€ Trip added, in a hurry and yet cautiously, â€œWhat you did was great â€“ I mean---â€

â€œTrip, I misread the situation entirely, made a fool of myself and almost caused a diplomatic incident,â€ Malcolm darkly cut him off. â€œThere is nothing great about that.â€

The evening breeze tickled his bare skin. He turned back to look at the sky, where it was still glowing with that greenish light. The twilight was lasting much longer than it would on Earth, but the light was definitely fading. The rocks that formed a sort of pier, stretching out into the sea, were but a dark form now. They looked so damned much like those of another beach, light years away...

Donâ€™t go near the water, Maddie. And donâ€™t go far. 

Iâ€™ll go as far as I want.

Well, do as you please, then. Get lost, drown!

â€œYou said you heard a scream?â€

â€œTrip, itâ€™s okay,â€ Malcolm said firmly. â€œIâ€™m fine.â€

Damned be the moment they had stumbled upon this planet. Damned be the Governor, for organising an informal outdoor reception near the seaside. Damnedâ€¦ damn himself. Alert as any good security officer should be, heâ€™d heard a faint scream and swiftly turned to spot its point of origin: a girl on the rocks; there one moment, gone the next, disappeared in the spray of a breaking wave. She hadnâ€™t been alone, but Malcolmâ€™s eyes had perceived only her, for that carefully-stored memory had been ripped open, and places and times had merged. Needing to ground himself, on instinct he had grabbed the closest thing, which had turned out to be Tripâ€™s arm. The Engineer had spilt his drink, and their eyes had met for a brief moment, Malcolmâ€™s haunted, Tripâ€™s wide with surprise.

Then Malcolm had taken off.

â€œAnyway, itâ€™s crazy what these kids do,â€ Trip went on. â€œJumpinâ€™ into the waves as they break on the rocks!â€

He was stubbornly trying to keep the conversation going. Good old Trip. With a resigned sigh, Malcolm lay down, fingers interweaved and cupped under his head. He wiggled to make the sand reshape to his body. â€œAs it turns out, their physiology allows them to take the risk,â€ he grumbled. â€œNo brittle bones to break or tender flesh to cut open.â€ He gave a bitter snort. â€œI shouldâ€™ve realised it.â€

â€œAh â€“ how could you?â€

Malcolm shot Trip a look that was meaningful even in the failing light, and the Engineer winced. â€œOkay, these people donâ€™t exactly look very frail,â€ he admitted. He lay down too, but on his side, facing Malcolm, head propped up on one hand. â€œAn elephantâ€™s skin is probably delicate in comparison,â€ was the chuckled conclusion.

â€œExactly.â€ 

Malcolm closed his eyes. He probably would have perceived the other kids and recognised it as a game if it hadnâ€™t been for the memory of that long-passed summer day, the day when his nightmare had started.

Maddie, get down from those rocks!

Look at all the shells, Malcolm, theyâ€™re beautiful!

Get down, now! Maddie! Watch out!

â€œYa knowâ€¦â€

Trip faltered, and Malcolm reopened his eyes on the first stars, which had appeared where the sky had already turned dark. 

â€œItâ€™s okay to feel fear. Itâ€™s human.â€

Good. Old. Trip. Malcolm clenched his jaw. It was okay to feel fear; it was less okay for a security officer to show panic.

â€œThose were pretty big waves,â€ Trip resumed, â€œAnd the rocks were dangerously close, and that girl was screaming and struggling against you, andâ€¦â€

Malcolm waited for him to go on, but he didnâ€™t. Trip was too intelligent not to know how weak those arguments were in the face of his odd behaviour, and that the answer to it wasnâ€™t in them. 

Silence fell. The images of his would-be rescue passed through Malcolmâ€™s mind in slow motion: the girl, disappearing into the swelling sea; himself, diving and reaching her with powerful strokes; her screaming, as heâ€™d grabbed her; a flourish of arms and legs; panic suddenly gripping him. They had made it back to the beach, but not exactly like rescuer and rescuee â€“ if that was even a word. That part was a bit blurry, but she had helped him, more than the opposite. Once on firm ground he had gone dumb for a good five minutes. Archer had knelt down beside him, put one fatherly hand on his shoulder â€“ for he was privy to his secret â€“ and asked him what the hell had happened, but Malcolmâ€™s tongue had been stuck to his palate. 

â€œThank you for speaking on my behalf,â€ Malcolm said, his voice darkened by the burden of shame.

â€œHey, what are friends for?â€ was the quiet reply.

Trip had immediately stepped in, telling what he could only guess had happened. He had guessed right; but still, there had been a lot more than had met the eye, and which he could hardly have imagined.

In any case, the Governor had seemed quite upset by the incident. He had put an end to the reception and invited them all inside the Government building. Seeing Archer hesitate, Malcolm had finally found his tongue to say that he was fine. Heâ€™d been about to get up and follow them, when Archer had pushed him back down and ordered him to wait out in the sun, and get his clothes dry. 

Gaze on the stars, Malcolm took in a deep breath. He owed Trip one. 

â€œLook, Trip, what happened today---â€ A hand on his arm cut him off, and he turned to meet rueful eyes.

â€œI donâ€™t wanna know.â€ As if suddenly realising how that sounded, after the last ten minutes, Trip grimaced. â€œOkay, I realise Iâ€™ve been bugginâ€™ you to talk, butâ€¦ You donâ€™t really need to tell me. All I want to know is if youâ€™re okay, keeping things inside. Sometimes it helps to talk.â€

Malcolm tightened his lips. Nothing had helped, and nothing would ever help. 

His lungs were ready to explode as he dove for the third time in the foamy water. Where was she? Stupid girl! Hadnâ€™t she seen how big the waves were today? But the real idiot had been he, for getting distracted and letting her out of his watchful eye. 

The current was strong, making whirlpools near the rocks, onto which each new wave threatened to throw him. 

And then he spotted what looked like a strange creature. Heart in his throat, Malcolm grabbed a handful of the blond hair and pulled. He was kicking his feet to re-emerge, when a strong wave caught him. He banged his head; then nothing. 

The next he knew, he was lying on the beach, and a man he didnâ€™t know was pressing something on his head. It hurt like hell. 

â€œMaddie,â€ he heard himself whine, though the last thing he wanted to know was if he had caused his sisterâ€™s death.

â€œSheâ€™ll be okay,â€ the man answered. â€œLie still. You have a nasty cut on your head. An ambulance is on its way.â€

Maddie wiggled closer and clung to his arm, a wet, trembling thing, and only then did Malcolm realise that the background noise heâ€™d been hearing was her frightened sobbing.

And then he heard his motherâ€™s scream.

Malcolm blinked, refocusing on Tripâ€™s eyes. â€œIf thereâ€™s anyone I would tell, thatâ€™d be you,â€ he said deep in his chest. â€œButâ€¦ Iâ€™ll be fine.â€

â€œKay.â€

It was good to know he could count on a friend like Trip, Malcolm mused. Life was strange sometimes. Take today. It could knock you on your arse, and right after offer you a hand to get up again. 

Suddenly, there were voices approaching. Malcolm quickly pulled himself up and reached for his T-shirt. 

â€œBoss is back,â€ Trip drawled, following suit. He rubbed his hands clean of the sand that had stuck to them. â€œTime to pack.â€

Malcolm dressed himself hastily, and they headed for the group in the square. It was dark now, the street lamps casting them all in a cold light that didnâ€™t help Malcolmâ€™s injured self-confidence. As they approached, Archer nodded, his eyes running him up and down. Malcolm straightened his stance and nodded back.

 

â€œWere you able to patch things up, Sir?â€ Malcolm forced himself to ask, after the Governor and his entourage had taken their leave. Archer, who was watching the Shuttlepodâ€™s beacons as it made its landing approach over the beach, turned, and his green gaze bore into him for a moment that felt very long.

â€œYes, everything turned out all right,â€ the Captain finally said. â€œThey are willing to establish relations.â€ He paused; he looked tired. â€œHow about you, everything okay?â€

â€œFine, Sir, thank you.â€ Clenching his jaw, Malcolm steadied himself. The sooner he said it the better. â€œI am sorry, Captain. I thought the girl was in trouble, andâ€¦â€ He didnâ€™t know how to finish the thought, for it would imply revealing too much, so he left it hanging.

Archer studied him some more. â€œIt was brave of you, Lieutenant, considering.â€

Heâ€™d said it with a hint of a genuine admiration, though for Malcolmâ€™s ears only. Then the Captain turned to say something to Trip, but he didnâ€™t pick it up, too tired and relieved to pay attention. 

 

The hot shower had been pure bliss. In his skivvies, Malcolm left his small bathroom, rubbing a towel over his wet hair. He felt reconciled with the world â€“ well, the universe. And quite ready for a quiet evening.

Heâ€™d just pulled on a pair of sweatpants, when there was a buzz. He slipped into his desk chair, pressing a key on his computer, and Hoshi appeared on the screen.

â€œIâ€™ve got that link, Lieutenant,â€ she said, while her dark eyes shifted ever so briefly to take in his state of undress.

â€œSo quickly?â€ Malcolm wondered in surprise, grabbing his T-shirt and pulling it on. â€œNobody calling home tonight?â€

â€œNope. Channels are freer than usual. Youâ€™re in luck.â€

â€œPut me through, then. Thanks, Hoshi.â€

â€œBetter grab a comb,â€ Hoshi chimed, before disappearing.

Malcolm was raking a hand through his hair, hoping to make it a bit more presentable, when another face appeared on the screen. It struck him how, all of a sudden, he could see the similarities between himself and his sister. Heâ€™d always thought they were completely different.

â€œMalcolm!â€ Maddie exclaimed. â€œMy goodness, this is a surprise. You never...â€

Her smile faltered, starting from the eyes, those grey eyes that were so like his own â€“ a legacy of the Reeds.

â€œAre you all right? Has anything happened?â€

Malcolm raised his eyebrows. â€œDo I need a catastrophic reason for calling you? I... Well, itâ€™s been a long time.â€

Madeline looked at him long and strong. â€œWhat are you not telling me?â€ she asked knowingly.

Malcolm sighed. Maddie had always been able to read him like a book. Having shared the burden of Stuartâ€™s discipline, and devised common tactics to evade it, they had developed a camaraderie that had closely bonded them.

â€œYou know me too well,â€ he gave in. â€œToday, for some reason, I was reminded of the time you almost drowned.â€ He chose the abridged version of the facts â€“ he wasnâ€™t going to go into details. 

â€œWe almost drowned,â€ Maddie corrected him. Her eyes turned pained. â€œDoes that still haunt you? Iâ€™m so sorry, Malcolm. It was entirely my fault.â€

â€œYou know thatâ€™s not true. I was supposed to watch over you.â€

Madeline shook her head in defeat. â€œWeâ€™ve gone over it so many times. You did warn me. And you were only a child. We were both just children.â€

â€œYeah.â€

â€œIf I had behaved,â€ Maddie went on obliviously, â€œMaybe today youâ€™d be in the Navy, instead of roaming the galaxy light years away from home, and things between you and father---â€

â€œNo,â€ Malcolm cut her off firmly. â€œThat has nothing to do with you. And Iâ€™m quite happy about my life, really.â€

Madeline smiled a tender sort of smile. â€œWe were lucky that stranger arrived on the beach just in time.â€

â€œSo much for fatherâ€™s beware of strangers refrain.â€

Madelineâ€™s giggle was still that of the exuberant child she had been. Malcolm tilted his head. â€œSo, how are you?â€

They chatted companionably for a good few minutes. It was time to say good-bye; but before, there was something Malcolm had to ask.

â€œThat day...â€ He narrowed his eyes, a frown creasing his brow. â€œWhat the hell was so important that mum left us on a deserted beach?â€ he asked in a smoky voice. â€œIt just wasnâ€™t like her.â€ He let out a soft huff. â€œI must have removed it, because I canâ€™t for the life of me remember.â€

Madelineâ€™s eyes went wide. â€œYou canâ€™t?â€ She wrinkled her nose in that way of hers. â€œSheâ€™d got up early to cook, so lunch would be ready when we got back from the beach, and she forgot some potatoes on the stove. She was afraid the house would go up in smoke. She wanted to bring us back with her, but I threw a tantrum. And so...â€

â€œPotatoes?â€ Malcolm breathed out. â€œAll for some bloody potatoes?â€

 

At least Madeline had not been scarred by the experience like him, Malcolm mused, once alone with his thoughts again. It was enough one of them had developed aquaphobia. For he would never forget the helplessness, the fear and despair that had gripped him that day, in the water, so many years ago. It had marked him for life. 

The bell chimed. Malcolm looked at the door for a moment; then got up and went to answer it.

â€œCommander? Whatâ€™s wrong?â€

â€œNothingâ€™s wrong, why should anything be wrong?â€ Trip wondered, sounding almost offended.

Malcolm blinked. â€œWell, how about because Iâ€™m the armoury and security officer of this ship?â€ he replied, much in the same tone of voice.

Trip rolled his eyes. â€œI was gonna grab something to eat, and wondered if youâ€™d join me.â€

As a matter of fact, he was rather hungry, now that Malcolm thought of it. â€œWhy not.â€ He grabbed a sweatshirt and turned off the light. 

â€œItâ€™s Wednesday,â€ Trip said with a smile as they walked along the corridor. His step had a bounce to it.

â€œThank you, Trip. I know that.â€

â€œTonight itâ€™s mashed-potatoes-with-mushroom-gravy night.â€

Malcolm groaned. â€œAnything but potatoes.â€

â€œWhat, you donâ€™t like potatoes?â€ Trip wondered.

â€œIf you really must know, potatoes caused me serious problems during childhood that still have repercussions today.â€

Trip shot him a weird sideway glance. â€œThat explains a few things.â€

Malcolm smiled to himself. The Navy? Nah, he really was quite happy about his life; his life among the stars.


End file.
